For me, queerness and contemplation or the contemplative path are just such a natural union… the Christian contemplative tradition began with a lot of weirdness in third and fourth century deserts. — Cassidy Hall

Debonee and Skye have a joyful and insightful conversation with Cassidy Hall, author of Queering Contemplation: Finding Queerness in the Roots and Future of Contemplative Spirituality, invoking Alan Watts, Pamela Lightsey, Ram Dass, Lerita Coleman Brown, Richard Rohr, Cody Sanders, Grant Morrison, and The Book of Common Prayer.

Along the way we discuss the uses and limitations of labels, the evolution of the word “queer” from its Scottish origins to use as a slur to the reclamation of it in recent years, the relationship between definitions and cultures of domination, the history of HIV activism (incidentally, the phrase “We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it” dates back to about 1990), and the “answerless questions” that the contemplative tradition beautifully embodies.

Queerness belongs to all of us… There is something unique, odd, strange, oblique about all of us. — Cassidy Hall

Hi friends, our latest Radical Mystics podcast is what we hope will be the first in a long series of interviews — friendly conversations with fellow seekers, mystics, contemplatives, perennialists, punks, ferals, radicals, and whoever else happens to happen along.

Our inaugural RadMystConvo took place on September 28, 2026, as Debonee and Skye sat down with Lisa Colon Delay of the legendary Spark My Muse podcast. We divided our conversation into two parts: the first part, hosted by Spark My Muse, features Lisa interviewing us on our vision for this Radical Mystics newsletter and podcast; we took over the host responsibilities for the second part, where we invite Lisa to share insights into her new book, The Way of the Desert Elders: How the Wisdom of Ancient Christians Sustains Us Today.

Click here to listen to part one of this podcast! (and Subscribe to Spark My Muse).

As the title suggests, it is a dive into the spirituality and literature of the desert mothers and fathers — radical mystics of the ancient world. Lisa’s perspective on these ancient hermits and spiritual directors is insightful and helpful whether you’re new to the desert elders or have been hanging out with their words for many years.

So check out Lisa’s book as well as her podcast…

* Spark My Muse on Apple Podcasts

* Spark My Muse Interviews Radical Mystics

* Spark My Muse Interviews Carl McColman:

* Episode 129: Calibrating Your Heart

* Episode 143: An Invitation to Celtic Wisdom

* Episode 176: Unteachable Lessons

* Episode 200: Eternal Heart

* Episode 224: The New Big Book of Christian Mysticism

In this episode of our Radical Mystics podcast, Skye and Debonee reflect on their experiences at the 2026 Wild Goose Festival, the spirituality, justice and creativity festival that happens in North Carolina every summer. We tell a few stories, drop a few names, and reflect on the spirituality of community and why this festival inspires a sense of hope for the future.

The 2027 Wild Goose Festival will take place in Harmony, NC on September 2-5, 2027. Mark your calendars — and we hope to see you there!